Sometimes
by Song Apart
Summary: Basically a continuation set after the ending of the Anime series, i hope you all enjoy.


Kōichi Sakakibara looked towards her with his brown-colored gaze dragging across the rolling hills of Yomiyama, the city drenched in brilliant daylight, the long horrendous night behind them, a future iridescent but so distant.

His eyes met the side of her ghostly pale face, trimmed out with her dark hair, her lips pursed into a formless expression, Misaki Mei.

His friend and partner in death, he hesitated for only a moment.

Taking in the sight of her pale-colored skin and single visible eye, he couldn't help but be fascinated by her appearance.

He parted his lips to speak, the rush of thoughts was slowly slinking away, and he felt the need to ask, but only one question, feeling uneasy at the prospect of not doing so.

"It's over now, isn't it…"

Her eye snapped towards him as he spoke, to see his face looking towards her, his soft brown eyes stained with some emotion she couldn't decipher, his lips retracted into a small frown.

She had asked him if he really wanted to remember everything forever, she didn't receive an answer.

But she thought she understood why and what he wanted to remember, perhaps even she wished to remember as well.

His eyes searched for some sign of an answer, Mei turned to face herself up towards him, their footsteps still moving down the sloping hill, back towards the city and away from the past.

Then a small smile formed itself on her face, a simple expression angled up towards him.

Mei and Kōichi looked calm, a pair of students wandering down the hillside with almost invisible smiles on their faces, only for a few fleeting moments did their eyes remained trained on one another, before their heads faced forward once more.

Delicate expressions, warm sunlight on their forms, Mei felt pleasant in this instance, as much as Kōichi in fact, and with silence taking the place of speaking, leaving them with little more than the breeze of summertime to gently wash over their senses.

Mei would step a bit closer to Kōichi than before, to which he would mimic, the pair only a fraction a bit closer but it was enough, the moment was enough.

Sometimes that's enough.

.

Kōichi felt his heartbeat throb suddenly as if he had just been told bad news, and he knew it was the thought of losing his already fading memories, the realization was panic-inducing at the very least.

His feet halted their gait, and he felt his brows furrow down into a stern expression of thought, his hand slipped into his front right pocket palming the back of his cell phone to release some tension from himself.

Mei walked a little more than a few steps ahead of him before she would stop, turning to look up at him with a somewhat confused expression molding her features.

"Something the matter Sakakibara-kun?"

He gave a soft tsk at the use of his last name, hadn't they been through enough together?

He would nervously dig his right foot into the grass, twisting the point of his shoe as he pondered why he was so nervous at this thought.

He would hang his head lower yet his face was still visible to Mei, his soft brown locks being twisted around by the wind.

Mei moved closer to him, trying to catch his eyes as they roamed the grass covered earth.

Her raven black hair framing the sides of her face, twisting gently in the warm breeze as her steps inched closer to him up on the hill.

She'd not stepped more than two feet from him initially, but for some inexplicable reason the distance felt immense.

Not exactly worried yet not placated but the moment of peace she knew, she wasn't going to just leave him there obviously lost in his own world.

"Do you want to forget… everything?"

He questioned, she felt off guard as his eyes looked up from his hung head and she stopped her approach towards him, her visible eye focusing hard up towards her friend and without hesitation she would reply.

"No."

Kōichi would raise his head and stare down to Mei.

The brief seconds of intensity drawing out a soft exhale of air from Mei, who couldn't help but be enamored with this side of Kōichi.

A brave friend who risked his life for her, a friend linked together by death.

Kōichi released a held breath with a nervous chuckle, his eyes roaming away from hers, his serious expression from only a moment ago replaced with a gentle calm.

Her expression would change to a more inquisitive look, her features still maintaining their soft appearance.

Still not looking at her, perhaps not believing her words yet, he spoke.

"Really?"

Mei looked just past him back up the hill, knowing she had said what she believed.

Kōichi would eventually focus back on her to which Mei would reciprocate, their eyes staring back into the other, not as intense as before.

But the requested affirmation hung in the air, much like the heat of the summer day.

Mei nodded firmly up to him, not needing words to express her answer anymore, but this repeated topic made her doubt her previous assumption.

She would speak back dryly and without emphasis on her words, a simple question.

"Do you?"

There was little hesitation this time from him, his gaze firm, his left hand gently clutched itself into a loose fist.

He would stand on both his feet, planting himself as if he were preparing for a strike, his calm expression formed back into a firm one and he replied.

"No."

"Then it is settled Kōichi-kun…"

Mei said with definite finality and as she moved to keep walking he spoke once more.

"Just one thing more Mei-chan."

She stopped to look at him with an exasperated expression replacing her dry one.

Kōichi would draw his right hand from his pocket, letting it hang at his side much like his left as he spoke.

A low smile splitting his face once more as he spoke to Mei.

"A photograph… for a keepsake, I'll even have a copy made so… you may keep it as well."

Mei would quietly cross her arms and watch him as he explained himself.

His eyes flicked away from her, and his mannerisms would quickly go from refined and relaxed to twitchy and nervous.

This version of Kōichi always amused Mei, and she wanted to see where he went with this so she stayed silent as he started to ramble.

"And perhaps… it'll help us remember, our time- I mean… me and-"

Kōichi faltered, it was enthralling to see the brave boy she knew stumble over something so simple, it could almost be described as precious.

"Don't we already have the pictures from the class trip?"

Kōichi froze for a moment, and his gaze would wander off towards the city, the Ferris wheel quietly shifting along in the corner of his wandering gaze.

He huffed quietly at her reasoning, frustrated at himself for not just being able to ask her.

"Y-yes… we do, b-but… we"

Kōichi felt his right hand reach up behind his neck, rubbing the stretch of exposed skin with a nervous sigh.

Mei felt a pang of sympathy for this floundering boy and met him where he was heading.

"We don't have any of just us?"

"... Yes…"

Kōichi felt like he was going to explode.

His hand fell from his neck and clapped uselessly against the outside of his leg.

"Okay."

He felt his eyes widened in surprise, no drawn out discussion, nothing… just 'okay'.

He slowly looked back towards her and found his classmate and close friend looking up at him with a warm smile on her face, which quickly dissipated into her signature low smile.

He felt his face start to burn at the sight, and he questioned himself on why he was acting so embarrassed, it was only a photo.

Mei exhaled softly from her nose, watching the boy become flush was delightful at the very least, she felt a slight tug on her heart as he looked away from her once more.

If she were honest, she would have admitted that her heart quickened at the prospect, much to the same effect as Kōichi, who elected to hide his blushing face.

He wanted to remember, he wanted to remember her specifically, and even if they don't forget everything.

It's good to remember certain people.

"It'll be good, to look at it… sometimes."

Misaki pondered to herself, questions like if these were the right words, if this was right in anyway.

Is this what she wants…

The questions go on without answers as Kōichi explores thoughts similar to that of Mei's.

Two individuals, connected through death, suffering and succeeding nonetheless.

Unsure about the place they find themselves in this one moment.

'Was this right, is this the way I want it to go?'

"I…."

Kōichi hesitates, but this time he knows why, Mei watched him expectantly.

He faced her, letting a soft chuckle cut through the awkward pause he took.

The red on his face fading away as he searched for the right words to say before he settled.

"Okay."

The chance was gone, Kōichi neglected to proceed with his rampant thoughts.

"There must be a camera we can borrow right?"

He spoke aloud, Mei would respond after a brief moment.

"Perhaps at the school?"

Kōichi nodded at the question as they would start back at their walking pace, side by side, perhaps even closer than before.

"We are headed back to school then?"

Misaki said, unsure of what Kōichi intended to say before he stopped himself.

"Why don't we see about tomorrow, it's a pretty far walk all the way back to Yomiyama from here."

Kōichi said glancing back to Mei every now and again.

"I don't mind."

Mei replied, momentarily meeting his glances to see him nod firmly at her statement.

"Today it is…"

Kōichi looked ahead, ceasing what he assumed was bothersome looks, just taking in the view before them as they walked on.

Regardless of what It could've been she couldn't force her smile back into her normal plain expression, and every stolen glance up to Kōichi showed that he couldn't remove it from his look as well.

Their refocused gaze moved to take in the view of Yomiyama proper, and its ethereal summertime gleam.

The heat in the air hung on everything like a wool knit blanket, only subsiding with the roaming winds, sweeping over the grass and leaf covered tree lines.

Their chorus sounding out around the city in an almost haunting echo that twisted and swisher without rhyme or reason aside from the push of air.

Their eyes glazed over with the afternoon daylight, brief flashes of refracting brightness illuminating faraway outside windows in the city proper, the road back into town was a mere distance away from where they moved down the hill.

But if one was to absorb this view in all its glory then the walk would feel like a meager eternity glossed over with summertime light.

Maybe the pair walked a half step slower than normal, a half step more with a friend, a half step less to parting ways.

Sometimes it's more than enough.

.

Yomiyama North… their school for the next couple months of their time there, then it'll be off to their varying high schools and different lives from this sad tragic place.

Mei and Kōichi found themselves outside the main building, and the fading afternoon light was beaming down on the concrete and metallic structures of the school buildings.

It was just after class when the two had left for the cemetery, and took them an even longer time to head back to school from there, the blazing sun was now slowly setting over the far off horizon.

So now dimming yellows cast shadows over the walls, filtering like streams through fence bars and treetops.

Students still hung around for their various after school clubs and activities, though when they left the school was practically filled with groups, but now only smaller groups of threes and twos milled about the open campus front.

Some loitered around the entrance, by the lockers with their school shoes locked away within.

Neither of them really knew why they paused outside on the campus, just after entering in from the street, but Kōichi was the first to move on entering the locker room to find his own shoes.

Mei had walked on to find her own just after him, pondering to herself how much daylight they had left before the photo wouldn't come out well.

"Maybe we should've waited…"

Mei muttered to herself as she came up to her locker, removing her walking shoes and opening the locker door with a practiced hand before slipping out her other pair.

Placing them on the left side of her feet so she could quickly slip into them after she placing her walking shoes into the metal confines of the locker.

Shutting the door with a gentle click of the lock as she softly tapped the point of her shoe into the ground to make sure they fit well enough.

Her parents always seemed to hand her a pair smaller or bigger than the ones she would request, so it was a good idea to check.

They still fit well enough, Mei circled around the left side of the locker wall to see Kōichi waiting for her down the way by the door leading into the first floor.

She approached, her steps making little noise in the relatively empty space of the locker room, she would indicate with a slight shake of her head for Kōichi to lead them inside.

He would promptly do so, pushing in the door in to let both himself and Mei to enter.

The pair of them moving into the mostly empty halls of their middle school.

Kōichi would speak towards Mei, but mostly for himself, trying to figure out his plan it seemed.

"I believe the photography club is hosted on the second floor, I think… class-"

"Are we not borrowing a camera?"

Mei interrupted.

"Well… I thought it might be easier if we have someone with a bit of experience take it… then it may come out better than just setting it somewhere and clicking a timer."

He reasoned, Mei would gnaw absentmindedly at the inside of her cheek before replying.

"I can't argue with that logic."

She said gently, which prompted Kōichi to look back toward her as they started their ascent up the stairwell.

"Do you wish you could?"

He replied.

"Well, I was under the impression it would just be you and me…"

She said, somewhat hushed as to not attract the attention of any passerby.

Which there seemed plenty of as clubs slowly filed out of the school for the day, only authorized clubs could stay longer than normal.

A roster which happened to include photography, since there was a need to capture photos at particular times of day and a classroom to develop them in.

"Do you want it to be?"

She paused on the stairs and pressed weight onto her arm that was latched onto the railing, waiting just a moment so as another student would be out of earshot.

Kōichi used that pause to look down towards her, her eye not looking up towards him just yet as he crossed his arms and watched her.

She blinked and focused up towards him again, exhaling softly.

"I don't want someone to get the wrong idea…"

Kōichi was taken aback.

"Oh, I mean, I could… huh…"

He seemed at a loss for words, his face became somewhat sullen and Mei felt her heart twist in on itself at that sight and as she realized how that could be interpreted.

"I meant… I… don't…"

She felt her throat burning and her mind searched frantically for the correct words that would convey the right idea.

She stopped and inhaled softly, looking off to the wall so she wouldn't have to look at his face.

"I want it to just be me and you…"

She hastily spoke, knowing she was confused and new to all of this.

Kōichi suddenly reached out and gently took her shoulder in his right hand, which almost made Mei jump back but something about that simple gesture made her calm down a bit, her eye flicking nervously up to him and back at the wall.

"Okay."

He said warmly and gently patted her shoulder before retracting his hand, Mei felt completely embarrassed, looking up at him with a beleaguered look on her face.

"Let's go borrow a camera from the club then."

Mei nodded and would follow behind him as he started walking up the stairs once again.

This moment couldn't feel any longer to her, but still feeling a low tingling sense of joy as it progressed the way it did.

The classroom had one of its sliding doors pulled ajar, Kōichi was ahead of her so he would look in to witness a small congregation grouped up around a single desk, muttering and speaking about something in particular.

His eyes searched the room for someone he recognized and he believed the hair of one of the groupies looked familiar but he couldn't quite see his face.

He pulled back from the doorway to look at Mei, who had elected to wait beside the door as he peered inside.

"Do you want to wait out here?"

He said, his hand placed along the outer edge of the sliding door, Mei would slightly nod in response.

She was always so confident when it came to the unknown, or maybe she was just deadened to seeing death.

Regardless It was insanely different to see her acting like a normal shy girl.

Something about that act made Kōichi ponder in the back of his head that maybe one day when the memories fade that everything might just turn back into a normal existence.

Would being back to normal allow them to be normal together?

Or would the knowledge that they were a part of the calamity at all hang over them forever, like an itching parasite, keeping them linked like a vestigial limb.

Questions to ponder at another time he assumed, since he would give Mei an' okay' and slip into the room with little more than a creaking floorboard to announce his arrival.

The group all snapped up towards him and he stopped in his tracks, the action not unlike the ravenous movement of a pack of wolves, looking towards their prey.

There was just a flash of fear that struck inside his heart and he felt the hair on his neck stand up in attention.

But the fear was gone, replaced with the warm faces of several other students and one familiar friend.

"Mochizuki-kun?"

The boy's face split into a wide smile as the rest of the group looked back down at the desk they were crowded around, he came around from the far side of the group to face Kōichi away from the crowd.

"Kōichi-kun! You're interested in the Photography club?"

Kōichi would move into the classroom, closer to the completely uninterested group of students that stood off to his right, his eyes flicking from them and to his classmate Yūya Mochizuki.

"I could see myself picking it up… but Yūya-kun, I thought you were in the Art Club?"

He would chuckle softly and come up to Kōichi, placing his right hand on his shoulder in a friendly gesture before speaking.

"Of course! Thankfully the Art and Photography clubs have alternating meeting days, so I can attend both!"

Yūya spoke with a subtle inflection in his voice, a strained touch upon his words.

Kōichi decided not to push the topic further but instead move on to what he was here for.

"Yūya do you know if there are any cameras I could borrow for a time?"

Yūya came around him and furrowed his brow in thought.

"I think you can sign one out if you are on the Club roster… which you're not… uh I'm sorry Kōichi-kun I don't believe you can unless with special permission from one of the A/V teachers."

Kōichi dreaded this possibility, it had been nagging at the back of his head since he suggested the idea earlier that day.

Yūya's statement being sympathetic yet firm towards Kōichi, he was simply upholding the clubs rules.

Exhaling gently as he turned to gaze off towards the door, before looking back to Mochizuki, shrugging his shoulders with a low smile on his face.

"Well thank you for the time you've given me Yūya-kun."

If there wasn't anything he could do Kōichi wasn't going to force it, there must be a camera somewhere out there in Yomiyama.

Kōichi turned on his heels, his back now to his classmate as he would move towards the door.

Unsure of how he would explain the current circumstances to Misaki, especially uncertain of how would she react.

Though how much was she really into the idea of taking a photo together, to have that link saved onto clear imagery… forever.

"Kōichi-kun?"

He stopped, turning back to Yūya with an inquisitiveness to his expression, wondering what he wanted to say.

"What type of photo are you taking?"

Yūya was naturally curious, not really sensing a shutterbugs' spirit from Kōichi for all the time he knew him.

Kōichi felt his eyes widen, knowing full well that Mei wouldn't want him to divulge anything unnecessary in the effort to placate curiosity.

His expression would return to normal as he would respond smoothly back to Yūya, trying his best to answer without actually answering.

"Ah! I'm taking a portraiture…"

Where on earth did he learn that word… and how did he remember in this moment when the seemingly useless information of photography techniques was actually coming in handy.

Yūya suddenly started beaming, and something about that look made Kōichi uneasy, stepping to face him as he would clap his hands together and move up to the front of the classroom.

Much to the annoyance of the other club members who kept their gaze on whatever was set on that particular desk.

Only a few would glance as Yūya sauntered up to the cases, carefully hovering his eyes over each, then carefully plucking a small steel colored carrier.

Moving on to the right hand edge side of the tabletop to sign assumedly his name on a sheet of paper, using a conveniently placed pen to do so.

Yūya turned towards Kōichi and marched up with a cheery smile on his face, holding the case with his left hand and giving a thumbs up with his right as Kōichi's face was plastered with obvious confusion at the series of events that he just witnessed.

"Well I was thinking… you can't sign out a camera, but I can, so I'll chaperone you then you can use the camera under proper club supervision."

Kōichi felt dumbfounded, this is an unprecedented amount of dumb luck and misfortune balled up into a single moment.

He knew Mei would not be thrilled at the new addition of the third, Kōichi was racking his brain in an attempt to bring himself from this rapidly developing situation.

"Oh! I appreciate your willingness to help Mochizuki-kun."

Most of what he said felt incredibly forced, though it seemed Yūya didn't notice as he took point to lead the pair of them out into the hall, indicating with his free hand to follow.

With Kōichi following closely behind, silently dreading the next hour of his life.

Yūya twisted around the corner and jumped back slightly, gasping as he undoubtedly saw Mei, who at the moment reverted back to her natural stoic nature.

Looking up to Mochizuki with a blank look on her face, which could be interpreted in any number of ways.

"Mi-Misaki-San!"

Yūya stammered, looking off to the side, assumedly out of a sense of embarrassment for almost bumping into her.

"Yūya-San."

Mei responded dryly as Kōichi twisted around the corner behind Mochizuki, looked distressed as Mei's eye trained itself up to him, Koichi avoiding eye contact to stare off towards the wall.

"M-mis… Mei-san! Me and Kōichi were just heading out to take a picture!"

Kōichi was pantomiming his own suffering behind Yūya, who explained himself to Mei who only had her gaze on Kōichi.

Glaring daggers toward the student as he vainly attempted to think his way out of this, but Kōichi was drawing a blank.

Until…

"MEI is my subject!"

Kōichi would laugh heartily and clap his hand on Yūya's back, looking down to Mei with pleading eyes that basically told her to play along.

Yūya, looking between both the stoic Mei and suddenly jittery Kōichi suddenly made an 'o' face with a realization dawning on him.

"Of course! That makes total sense Kōichi-kun!"

Yūya leaned back to look to Kōichi with a big grin, looking to Mei to see her still plain expression before letting his smile fade with a small cough.

Kōichi would reply.

"It does?"

Yūya would look confusedly to Kōichi who suddenly realized that this was the perfect out.

"Of course Yūya-kun! Of course Mei is my photo subject, I mean who can take a portrait without someone being the subject of that photo! Right!"

He felt a nervous chill set in as his eyes met Mei's again before looking off to avoid her deadly look.

Yūya would look to Mei once more as she would suddenly look up to him, Mochizuki raising his eyebrows expectantly down to her as Kōichi silently condemned his own existence.

Mei would inhale softly before speaking up to their classmate.

"Of course."

Mochizuki would smile warmly to both Mei and Kōichi but he would quickly move on from their spot in the hallway, perhaps to get out from between the two of them, leading the trio to wherever they were heading now.

Kōichi glances to Mei who motioned for him to follow Yūya, he would do as he was told, Mei matching his steps as they all walked down the hallway.

Mei glances up to him, Kōichi glances back, she blinked somberly once.

He felt as though this would be his only chance to explain himself, speaking only so she could hear him, maintaining a normal appearance so if anyone were to wander by they couldn't tell Kōichi was internally panicking.

Luckily Yūya was walking just far ahead enough to make it easy to speak.

"I swear I didn't ask him to come along… I mentioned I was taking a portrait photo and he kinda just… force himself into the situation…"

Mei listened with little change to her stoic face, he worried internally if this was just step one to a crumbling friendship.

But that's a notion he'd have to push away for the moment.

"I'll make sure it's just you and me in the end."

Mei blinked and Kōichi formed his lips into a thin line as it dawned on him how inappropriate that sentiment was.

"Y-you know what I mean…"

Mei would roll her eye at his words, a soft exhale of air the only noise escaping her as Kōichi watched her with anticipation for her next words.

"I know, and I know you didn't mean for him to tag along."

She spoke gently, now facing forward down the hall towards the figure of Yūya.

Kōichi mimicked her and looked down the hall, glancing down to her for a brief second before speaking once more.

"I was thinking of the courtyard…"

"Oh?"

"Yeah… there might be good lighting there… so yeah"

The exchange was short but enough, Mei cleared her throat and spoke up at a slightly louder volume than usual.

"Mochizuki-san? The photographer wants to use the courtyard for our background setting."

Yūya was looking over his shoulder when she started, but now he was looking back full on, walking backwards for a moment, his face screwed up in thought before turning back to his front.

"Ooh! That's perfect! Simple backdrop, and I bet the leaves are painting everything with color this time of day! Kōichi you're a natural!"

Kōichi chuckled softly, which enticed Mei to look up at him with an obvious need for an explanation.

"Well..? He seems more than willing to fill the blanks himself, you don't think he's using us as an excuse to leave the club room huh?"

Mei looked away from him, her eye wandering the surrounding walks and flooring as she worked through that sentence, trying to figure out why that made him chuckle.

"It was weird… but when I was in the club they were all looking at something on one of the desks, they hardly acknowledged my presence save for Yūya-kun since he seemed more than willing to leave."

Kōichi glances down to Mei then back up towards Mochizuki, letting the mystery hang in the air before she would reply.

"What if they were looking at nude pictures?"

Kōichi turned his head to look down at Mei with a puzzled expression on his face before she would continue speaking.

"I mean, they were all crowded around one desk right? Could it mean they were enjo-"

"Dear gods above can you cease with this train of thought?"

Kōichi felt heat burn on his face, and he felt utterly uncomfortable at the words that slipped from Mei's lips.

Mei looking sideways up at him with a tiny smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth, suddenly poking him gently in the side.

"I'm only joking Kōichi…"

Mei looked away and covered her mouth to snicker silently into her palm, the flushed Kōichi shaking his head and looking away from the girl before speaking.

"That wasn't funny Mei…"

She drew her hand from her face and replied almost slyly.

"Your face was."

Kōichi felt a smile develop across his lips as he softly shook his head at her, enjoying the renewed mood as they followed Yūya around the school halls then down a flight of stairs.

The route quite similar to the one Mei and himself would take when they wanted to relax outside for lunch, Yūya turned to watch the pair of them lagging behind, gesturing for them to follow him out as he pushed open the door out into the courtyard.

Sharp orange sunlight shining in through windows and being cut out by shadows, Kōichi would advance past Mei and quickly push open the door for her to walk through.

Stepping out after her and letting the door shut itself close, following the paced Mei and watching the eager Yūya, barely able to contain his energy as he would search around the courtyard.

Assumedly searching for the best portrait location for the subject, unknowingly playing into the plan of his two classmates.

"Where were you thinking Yūya?"

Kōichi spoke, causing the boy to snap his gaze back towards him with a large grin on his face, gesturing to a spot just to his left.

"Right here! The broad side of the wall is perfect for her complexion and the bench allows her to be at the perfect height for the tripod."

At 'tripod' Yūya would scowl, searching around himself for something.

Mei would look back at Kōichi with an exasperated look on her face as Yūya would set the carrier down on the pavement, unpacking the camera, still searching around before giving a defeated sigh.

Kōichi would take his cue and step past Mei so he was closer to Yūya.

"Hey, Yūya-kun… I think I left my bag up in the clubroom… do you mind terribly if-"

Yūya jumped up from the carrier and spoke, cutting off Kōichi.

"Not at all! I forgot a tripod anyway so this is perfect."

He rushed passed Kōichi and Mei, who in turn followed his movements to the door where they entered from.

"Be back in a second!"

With that Yūya was gone, leaving Mei to quietly move past Kōichi to their photo location sitting down on the bench with a gesturing hand letting him know to sit.

"Well… we only have a few minutes to take the photo so…"

Kōichi moves over to the carrier to see something quite puzzling before Mei would speak towards him.

"Kōichi come sit…"

He would look towards her puzzled.

"Okay Mei, but…"

"Kōichi."

She said firmly, defeated, he moved away from the case and to Mei.

Sitting down besides her she turned her body to face him, not directly looking at him with her face slightly turned away from looking at him with her hands delicately wrapped together in her lap.

"What's on your mind Mei?"

He spoke and Mei twitched in place at the sound, something was bugging her, her eye refused to look directly at him as she would separate her hands letting them form small fists on her legs as she started to speak.

"You have to promise to hear me out."

Kōichi tilted his head down at her in confusion before replying.

"Okay… I promise to hear you out."

Mei would smile lowly to herself, her hair really blocking most of her face from Kōichi's angle.

"Even if it's something you're not happy about?"

"Yes…"

"Why?"

"Because I trust you…"

Kōichi would finish that softly, and Mei sighed gently, feeling as if a weight was lifted.

"Okay."

She inhaled deeply, Kōichi waiting patiently for what she had to say, speaking quickly but firmly.

"I don't want to take the photo."

She released a breath and turned her face up towards him with a saddened look on her face, one that caused Kōichi to scowl down at her, which in turn made her face away from him.

Kōichi would speak up after a moment.

"Okay."

"You're… angry right?"

Kōichi blinked and huffed gently, crossing his arms across his chest as his expression would soften.

"No… not at all."

She would look up to him with a confused look, he would meet her eye with a smile.

"W-why not?"

She stumbled, she wasn't used to this, unsure of how he was feeling.

"Because I am not…"

"That's not an answer."

Kōichi scoffed and continued.

"It is one."

"Why aren't you angry?"

She asked again.

"Because… I know I'm pushing you a bit. I'm sorry."

It was her turn to be taken aback.

"No… no you're not…"

Kōichi uncrossed his arms and gave her a confused expression.

"Oh… okay… then why don't you want to take the picture?"

"Because…"

She stopped, looking away from him, her breathing noticeably changed from her almost unnoticeable breaths, to hard shaky ones.

Though their volume wasn't intense, the change was significant to Kōichi.

"Because… because I…"

Her senses frantically tried to focus on anything, the empty camera case, the trees, the sound of the leaves or the fabric of Kōichi's pants that curved around his knee.

The light in the courtyard was dimming by the minute, and in a few more they'd be hidden from the sun's light.

This was the time, this was the moment to speak up.

"Because I want to prove it…"

Mei calmed down, her breathing settled and Kōichi gave a soft 'hm' at the proclamation.

"Prove… what?"

Kōichi questioned, before Mei would slowly look up to him, her eye flicking away from his confused face every now and again as embarrassment stung on her cheeks.

"Prove… that… we will remember… not… the Calamity, but us, our connection."

Kōichi felt his eyes widen and his face felt warm, heartbeats quickened and nerves felt aflame.

"Prove that we are more than the parasitic death that clings to us…"

She would focus on him once more, holding up her hand flat.

Kōichi looked to the hand before meeting her gaze again, slowly mimicking and placing his own hand up against hers.

The natural warmth from them both different, Kōichi was normally a warm person, while Mei was traditional cool.

But the temperature between their hands blurred into something altogether strange and new, a feeling of warmth neither of them had experienced previously.

Both of them noting that this feeling was pleasant, desirable even, an equilibrium craved by baser instincts.

"Prove that we don't need photos to connect us…"

"Or phones?"

Kōichi quipped, causing a break in Mei's seriousness, a smile appearing on her face as she watched him.

Separating her fingers so that they may invade the spaces between his, molding her hand to his completely.

Kōichi having to match her progression as well, never in a thousand lifetimes did he think he'd one day be holding hands with Mei Misaki.

Mei never considering the possibility of meeting a stranger that could make her feel better, about everything.

"I think it'd be best for you to be able to call me, so I'll try to keep the next one around."

Kōichi chuckled softly at that, just looking down at her, and her at him.

Happy in this moment, a moment they both get to share, connected.

Sometimes it's beautiful, to be connected in one way or another.


End file.
